


Nails, Plagues and Pale Ore

by Mega92668



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-05 00:32:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14032242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mega92668/pseuds/Mega92668
Summary: This is an au where as opposed too just getting forgotten, not all of the radiance's followers abandon her for the pale king and instead both sides are put into a conflict over the kingdom.





	1. Introduction - The Radiance

The radiance sighed as she thought back too the old days, the days before that wretched wyrm attempted to usurp her. To merely think that it had almost been successful would be an insult to her power, she'd laugh at the thought were it not for the countless lives that had been lost at current. The wyrm may have thought it would win this "stalemate" as it so bluntly put it, but she knew that her radiant glory far surrpassed that pale fool's "intellect". She could see him now, sitting on his throne in that dreaded castle plotting another scheme to try and turn the tide.

But no matter what clever scheme he cooked up next it would fail as any other would. The radiance would not be forgotten so easily, she knew how this would all end and the wyrm's petty armies did naught but annoy her. After all surely the wrym was merely biding time, she still had some among her who weren't traitors ready too flock too the wyrm the minute he started speaking of petty gifts of "intelligence". After all one didn't need such things... But still her subjects we're better off with their minds intact, after all mindless husks didn't serve well as more than canon fodder. Sadly not many moths were ready to take up arms too uphold her will, "so be it" she thought in due time they would all come around. Pacifism wasn't always the best option. 

But still, she thought back to the old days, when higher beings could simply be higher beings without having others meddle in their work. If she'd known that that wyrm's "transformation" would have led too this she would have crushed it before it could have even thought of such a ludicrous thing. But even now, she couldn't help but admire it's will to face her given the obvious power difference. But said will wouldn't last forever, she would crush him and retake her place as ruler in due time. And time was always on her side.


	2. Markoth and Thistlewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thistlewind and Markoth. We're building to something i promise

Chapter 1  
Markoth walked around the damp cave silently. He wasn't one for words, words wasted time and wasted time was to ne avoided at all costs, this was war he didn't have time for conversations. War wasn't a very clean thing, in fact the very nature of it meant blood would be spilled eventually, but he was sure that was ok. After all they weren't the ones who started this war in the first place, that pale fool had started it when he just waltzed in and declared himself the new one in charge. It made him furious to think how easily those traitors had all just accepted his rule without a second thought, couldn't they see that their "king" was nothing in the face of the true ruler? It didn't matter, all would see her light in due time.the peices would all fall into place, it didn't matter how long it took. 

 

Too many if them wanted too cling too old ways of pacifism, that wasn't going to cut it now. He'd tried telling them that mere pacifism was what the pale fool wanted, but they acted as though this indiference was somehow higher than him, as though standing idly by as Her rightful place was stolen from was just something to be done with no thought whatsoever. It angered him, he'd often thought they would've been better off if they'd simply banished them to go grovel to the Wrym, afterall if they were so indiferent what difference did it make where they stayed? Markoth wouldn't say it aloud for it would have been rude, but he saw any and all who wouldnt lay down their lives for the light as nothing more than deadweight.

 

He was pretty sure they'd like it that way after al- "what's with that look in your eyes?" He snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the Green-clad moth walking next to him. "Ease yourself this is merely a patrol, we're in our own territory, they wouldn't risk coming this far out." Thistlewind assured him. "It's not that" Markoth sighed "we're not the ones who should be doing patrols we should be on the front lines, or better yet assaulting the pale fool's castle right now, We accomplish nothing with these patrols our strength is wasted here and you know it. We should be out there contributing not patrolling where we know our enemies can't find us."

Thistlewind listened to him ramble on a little longer, it wasn't that the rambling didnt annoy him. He just didn't see any point in trying to interrupt, it'd likely just get them both arguing and now wasn't the time for arguing. Markoth was wrong their could always be enemies sneaking around the base of operations, if they just went for an all out attack they'd likely come back to find evryone either dead or in a bloody conflict. Markoth was to battle-hungry, he would surely get them both killed if not kept in check.

Thistlewind lamented at the thought of the simpler days, without conflict without the bloodshed, when he didn't always need too carry a nail for fear of bieng impaled by one. He wished they could have found peace between the Pale one and her Radiance, but no one wanted peace. He couldn't fathom why, and he didn't dare bring it up around his compatriots for fear they'd accuse him of treason. If only things could go back the way they once were.

 

"Are you listening?" He roused from his thoughts, Markoth was staring at him and he looked very agitated. "Oh of course im listening, do carry on." He assured him. "Just forget it" Markoth sighed "i wouldn't expect someone like you to understand what I'm talking about in the first place." He ignored the Green moth and contued on his path leaving thistlewind too wonder why he couldn't stand too slow down. Couldn't he see that charging into every fight or worse simply going looking for them never ended well? No matter, he was sure his friend would come around eventually, though he feared for the worse for if he didnt.

Suddenly he was hit with the feeling of being watched, he couldn't tell but he could've sworn he'd heard someone just now, definitly not a moth, they'd been the only ones patrolling on that side at the moment. He pondered the possible outcomes, it was likely just some common wildlife but no, no common wildlife would stumblr upon one of these tunnels by accident. Whoever it was he had no idea what goals they'd come with, for all he knew it just a common civilian. he wasn't sure how many their were, after all this was a cave, sound travelled odlly and for all he knew their could be more than one there at all.

He needed too tell markoth, one foe or not they stood a better chance dealing with whoever it was together. He'd only started quickly walking after his friend when he heard something, it was faint, but it was definitely the sound of armor peices moving. Whoever it was they hadn't dressed well for a scouting mission, but they we're definitly ready for combat. 

It didn't take long getting to Markoth, but the constant fear of getting stabbed through his back hadn't made it very pleasant. He tapped on the other moths shoulder half expexting him to either yell or impale him in place of the enemy. Instead he simply gave him that same angered look he always had. "What is it?" He asked looking at him. "There's someone in here" he whispered "i can hear their armor, they've likely been trailing us for some time." He was ready to formulate a plan or lay a trap of some kind, so he was rather suprised when Markoth simply yelled "Show Yourself, Pawn of The Pale One! Enough sneaking around get out here and face your death like a warrior!" Thistlewind wondered why he'd gone and done that, for all they knew it could be an entire Calvary.

Luckily it was only one, this was definitly a scouting mission. However the one standing befor him Definitly hadn't come here unready for s fight, he could see why he'd heard armor plates moving. This one clearly wasn't going down without a fight.  
It wasn't a lot, which explained how she'd they'd managed to trail them for so long without either of them noticing. He was ready to assume their victory was guaranteed, but that feirce look in the bug's eyes made him uneasy. Markoth however didn't look phased, he'd already drawn his weapon. Thistlweed drew his ready to help his friend, he still wasn't sure about that look but he figured he'd have to just deal with it.

However what he hadnt expected was for his earlier fear of bieng impaled through the back to nearly be realized. He'd been startled when he turned around to see another one bieng pushed back by a shield, that hadn't looked like it would stop them for good though. The dress it wore looked dirty and ruffled but That didnt matter however as the bug was already back on it's feet. "Such petty tactics, id expect nothing more of The Pale Fool's pawns" markoth hadn't even turned around when he said the words, but Thistlewind was glad he'd been more alert than him. A second later and he might've been dead, he needed to pull himself together now wasn't the time. He needed to help friend but first, the second one had already started charging at him again and this time he'd have to defend himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any and all criticism is welcome.


	3. Impalement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two moths and two knights try and kill each other.

Moths weren't usually warriors, at least that was what dryya had thought. These two were definitly trained in how use a nail. The dreamsheild was a clever trick, but she knew these ones weren't playing around the moment the one in red drew it's weapons. She'd expected this to be simple, trail them long enough to find their base of operations. Id she hadn't gotten clumsy it would've stayed stimple, but now wasn't the time to lament the fact that she'd likely not be getting another chance at this, now was the time for action.

Especially since the red one was likely gonna try and impale her, she'd dodged the first few strikes but they'd come a little too close to doing some damage. If she could just get in one strike it'd be all she needed, a strike to the legs or just enough to get the nails out of the picture and she could just make them show her the way. After all if she had 2 prisoners it'd Definitly be a good bargaining chip, surely the moth wouldn't just let two of her higher-ups just die. But that plan likely wasn't going to work since no matter how many times she struck no matter where her nail was pointing, that sheild would always show up in time to keep her gaining the upperhand.

If she could just find out how it worked she could counter-attack, but it didnt seem to go by logic. He wasn't holding the sheild obviously, it was more like he was somehow focousing it whenever he knew she was about to attack. This would be a tricky one, she could try and trip him up but that might leave herself open for attack. If she could distract him and get a suprise attack somehow then the sheild would be taken care of, at least that was what she thought. Moths were crafty and for all she knew this one wasn't even in control of the sheild. But she had noticed that theres seemed to be times when he'd block with the sheild and others when he'd parry with nails.

All she had to time it correctly. if she could hit at the right time, then sheild wouldn't be there and she could injure him. At that point all she'd have had to do was force him too give them the information they came for. But that was a lot easier said than done. Whenever she thought the sheild was down she'd strike just to barely avoid getting a nail through the face.

These two weren't going down easy, Isma was doing better then her but by much. The green didn't have a magic sheild or two nails, but it wasn't a pushover they looked to be on equal grounds but that would change soon enough. She was sure she knew what to do now, so she readied her nail and prepared to attack tbe moth.

The first thing shed did was fake an attack to see how the sheild reacted and sure enough even with how obviously fake and easy to counter the attack looked, the sheild appeared ready to defend from. Any attack thrown at it, but that attack hadn't come and when the real one did the moth wasn't ready to parry. He'd deflected most of the blow but he was clearly off balance now, she wouldn't give him time to regain it however as she immediatly rushed him striking from every angle. By the time the moth had even thought of recovering it was too late, she'd already stabbed straight through his shoulder and most of the way through his wing. 

He'd need medical attention, but he'd still make a good bargaining chip. Realizing she'd forgotten Isma, she was still trading blows with the green one. Rushing to her friend's aid she left herself wide open and was shocked when she felt the sting of a nail bieng thrown through her backside.

She hadn't even hit the ground before realizing her mistake, the one on the ground was already struggling to get up. He wasn't gonna do much with one nail and a hole in his shoulder, but if she hadn't put that hole there in the first place then she likely wouldn't have felt anything but the embrace of the afterlife when the nail hit.

She had to get up and finish him off but her body wouldn't move, she was sure that any minute now the moth would be up. She could still feel the nail lodged into her side it likely wouldn't have budged even if she could've coupled up the strength to try and pull it out, she'd dropped her own nail when she'd hit ground. Her vision was getting more blurred by the minute, the last thing she heard before blacking out was the sound of another body thudding on the ground next to hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im not good at fight scenes. I'm also not very subtle.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback would be great.


End file.
